Johannes Hoff Thorup reveals reason for ‘surprising’ Norwich City sacking, fans were a ‘big’ factor

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Norwich City sacked Johannes Hoff Thorup towards the end of last season, and now the manager himself has lifted the lid on why he was dismissed.

Norwich City endured a lacklustre 2024/25 campaign, which culminated in the Canaries finishing 13th in the Championship.

Johannes Hoff Thorup was appointed by Norwich last summer, in place of David Wagner, to spearhead the club’s push for a top-six finish.

However, the Dane failed in his maiden campaign in charge and was sacked in late April following a run of six defeats in eight Championship matches.

Former Bristol City boss Liam Manning was appointed by Norwich as Thorup’s permanent replacement, and now the ex-Canaries boss has revealed why he was sacked with two games to go last term.

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Johannes Hoff Thorup reveals why he was sacked by Norwich City

With some of the best players in the Championship in the squad last season, in the form of Borja Sainz and Josh Sargent, Thorup ought to have guided Norwich to a top-half finish despite it being his debut campaign in an EFL dugout.

The former FC Nordsjaelland head coach won 14 of his 47 matches in charge at Carrow Road, leaving with a 30 percent win record.

Defeats over Easter weekend to Portsmouth and Millwall, conceding eight goals in the process, left Norwich 14th in the Championship table and 13 points adrift from a play-off place before the club called time on Thorup’s tenure at Carrow Road.

Now, the Dane has lifted the lid on the feeling at Norwich in the days leading up to his dismissal, and the reason why Thorup believes he was sacked.

The former Canaries boss told the Second Tier podcast: “I could feel that there was a little bit less communication about the upcoming transfer window, and you know, as a coach, when that communication is less and less, then it could be a sign that changes are about to be made.

“I was still surprised because I think where we were as a team was probably what I expected.

“But football is as it is, and there’s also emotions and opinions from fans and stuff like that, and I think in a big club like Norwich, I think that the voice of the fans is also a big thing.

On the reasoning for being dismissed, Thorup added: “I think it was the recent form. I think it was looking at the recent of the last five, six, seven games that we’ve played, where obviously the performance was not top.

“I always have to be honest and say we are far away from what I expected in terms of our level so it’s not like I cannot understand it, it’s just there’s there’s different ways of of working together in a moment like that and and of course some clubs they take the decision to to find a new coach and that’s more than fair,

“It’s always up to the owners and the board and the directors, and then some clubs they take the decision to stick together and make sure that you survive that tough period, and then on the back side of that, you can start succeed again.

“So, there’s many ways and there’s many approaches to that, but to give you a clear answer, I think it was the four, five, six, seven games leading up to that.”

Given the calibre of head coach Manning is, many believe Norwich will finish in the top-six next season, which would prove why the Canaries have upgraded on the departed Dane.

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Norwich City have upgraded on Johannes Hoff Thorup with Liam Manning

So far in the summer transfer window, Norwich have backed newly appointed Manning with some stellar signings, ahead of his debut campaign in the Carrow Road dugout.

We at EFL Analysis believe Norwich will earn a play-off place in the 2025/26 Championship campaign as a result, especially with highly-rated manager Manning through the door.

Although Manning nudges Thorup’s win rate as a head coach by only 1.5 percent, his history as a manager runs deeper than the surface statistics, and shows why Norwich have traded up with his appointment.

Manning rose to prominence in the EFL with spells at MK Dons and Oxford United, before he took the reins at Ashton Gate in November 2023.

Last season, Manning masterminded Bristol City’s surprising sixth-placed finish, before the Robins were beaten comfortably by Sheffield United in the Championship play-off semi-finals.

Despite Norwich ace Sargent set to join Wolfsburg after Sainz left Norwich for Porto, there are still ample reasons for Canaries supporters to be optimistic about the 2025/26 Championship campaign, with the arrival of Manning near the top of that list.